Publication series

Name

Lecture Notes in Computer Science

Publisher

Springer Verlag

Volume

1632

ISSN (Print)

0302-9743

Abstract

Current programming environments for novice functional programming (FP) are inadequate. This paper describes ways of using proofs as a foundation to improve the situation, in the context of the language ML [4]. The most common way to write ML programs is via a text editor and compiler (such as the Standard ML of New Jersey compiler). But program errors, in particular type errors, are generally difficult to track down. For novices, the lack of debugging support forms a barrier to learning FP concepts [5].